A controversy erupted on social media when an Instagram creator from Bihar’s Purnea district accused another influencer of defecating outside the newly inaugurated Purnea Airport out of jealousy. The incident, which occurred amid Bihar’s Assembly elections, later turned out to be a coordinated publicity stunt between the two content creators.
Initial Accusation Goes Viral
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Purnea Airport in Bihar’s Seemanchal region on September 15. A month later, Instagram handle “Purnia.br” alleged that Sonu Bihari, a creator from neighboring Madhepura district located 99 kilometers away, had committed the act out of envy after a local resident traveled to Kolkata from the new airport.
“So friends, a couple of days ago we made a video about someone defecating at the airport. Today I found out that the person responsible is actually a creator from Madhepura named, Sonu Bihari,” the creator stated in an October 12 reel.
The post continued with harsh criticism: “He comes all the way from Madhepura to Purnea only to defecate at the airport. Do you not have a toilet at home? Did your local leaders not build you one? Aren’t you ashamed, even a little?”
Clarification and Backlash
Days later, Sonu Bihari clarified on his Instagram page that the incident was fabricated and merely a prank video. He countered by criticizing the Purnea creator, saying, “These so-called content creators, whom not even a stray dog knows, are accusing me of this.”
However, by the time Sonu issued his clarification, the original reel had garnered nearly 30,000 views. The video featured another person threatening violence and questioning why someone would travel 80 kilometers specifically to defecate at the airport. “Your Madhepura has a rail engine factory, so should we go there and do the same thing there?” the individual asked.
Collaborative Post Reveals Truth
On October 16, both Sonu and “Purnea.br” shared a collaborative Instagram post, revealing the entire controversy was orchestrated. The Purnea team admitted their strategy, acknowledging, “If you post nonsense online, it spreads fast; good content barely travels.”
The incident mirrors the absurdist humor of the 2010 film Peepli Live, where trivial matters spark disproportionate reactions and media frenzies.
